Guide · Ontario

N4 notice in Ontario: evicting a tenant for non-payment of rent

You can serve an N4 the day after rent is late; for N4s given on or after September 21, 2026 the termination date must be at least 7 days later, and if the tenant hasn't paid or moved out by then you can file an L1 with the Landlord and Tenant Board.

General information, not legal advice. The Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the official Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) forms and instructions are the authority. Rules changed on September 21, 2026, so always download the current form from the LTB before you serve it. If your situation is unusual, talk to a lawyer or licensed paralegal.

Changed in 2026: for an N4 given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date only has to be 7 days after you give the notice. The old rule (14 days for monthly or yearly tenancies) only applies to N4s given before that date. The LTB also updated its forms, including the L1, and says previous versions will not be accepted after November 30, 2026. Download fresh copies.

Key points

You can serve an N4 the day after rent was due and not paid in full. The tenant must still live in the unit.
The termination date must be at least 7 days after you give the N4. Do not count the day you give it. Add 5 days if you mail it, or 1 business day by courier.
The N4 is void if the tenant pays everything in the notice, plus any rent that has come due since, before you file.
If they don't pay or move out, file Form L1 with the LTB starting the day after the termination date. The fee is $186 on the Tribunals Ontario Portal ($201 by other methods).
Even after you file, the tenant can usually stop the eviction by paying the arrears, new rent and your filing fee.
Only the Court Enforcement Office (Sheriff) can carry out an eviction. Never change the locks, cut utilities or keep the tenant's belongings.

When you can serve an N4

The N4 is the LTB's "Notice to End your Tenancy Early for Non-payment of Rent." You can give it once rent is late. If rent is due on March 1 and is not paid in full, the earliest date is March 2.

The N4 is for rent only. Rent includes basic rent and amounts you charge separately for services such as parking. A flat monthly utility charge paid to you also counts. Do not include:

NSF cheque charges (you can claim these in the L1 instead),
utilities the tenant pays to the utility company,
damage, or
the last month's rent deposit.

If the tenant has already moved out, the N4 is the wrong tool. Use Form L10 to collect from a former tenant within one year of move-out.

How to work out the termination date

The termination date is the deadline for the tenant to pay. Count from the day after you give the notice.

How you give the N4	Minimum days	Example: given March 3
Hand to tenant or adult in the unit, mailbox, under the door or mail slot	7 days	March 10
Courier	7 days + 1 business day	March 11 if that is a business day
Mail or Xpresspost	7 days + 5 days	March 15

You cannot give an N4 by taping it to the door. Fill in the rent table by rental period. The total on page 1 must match the total on page 3. Mistakes here can make the notice invalid, and you would have to start again.

How the tenant can void the N4

The Act gives the tenant several chances to pay and keep the tenancy:

Before you file: the N4 is void if the tenant pays the arrears plus any rent that has come due by the payment date. For example, if the termination date is June 4, they must pay both May and June rent.
After you file, before the order: the application is discontinued if the tenant pays the arrears, the new rent and your application fee.
After an eviction order, before it is enforceable: the order is void if the tenant pays the amount set out in the order.
After it is enforceable, before the Sheriff acts: the tenant can pay and bring a motion to set the order aside, but only once during the tenancy.

Filing an L1 with the LTB

Wait. File no earlier than the day after the termination date. Unlike most notices, there is no 30-day filing deadline for non-payment, but waiting lets arrears grow.
Gather documents: a copy of the N4, the Certificate of Service showing how and when you served it, and your rent records. The L1 asks for the rent deposit and interest paid. The LTB subtracts any deposit and interest you owe the tenant from the arrears.
File and pay. The LTB recommends the Tribunals Ontario Portal. The fee must be paid at filing or the application is refused, as it is if any required item is missing.
Prepare for the hearing. Bring an updated rent ledger and receipts. For applications filed on or after September 21, 2026, a tenant who wants to raise other issues (such as repairs) must pay you at least half of the arrears claimed, directly, at least 7 days before the hearing.
After the order. If the tenant doesn't pay and the order becomes enforceable, file it with the Court Enforcement Office. An eviction order expires if it isn't filed with the Sheriff within six months.

Typical timeline

The early steps are fixed by law. The wait for a hearing and for the Sheriff depends on LTB and local enforcement workloads. We could not find a current official average, so plan for it to take months, not weeks.

Step	Earliest date (example)
Rent due and not paid	March 1
Hand-deliver N4	March 2
Termination date on N4	March 9
File L1	March 10
Hearing, order, Sheriff enforcement	Depends on scheduling

Repayment agreements

Many arrears cases end in a payment plan. Before filing, you can agree on one in writing. Give a receipt for every payment. A partial payment does not void the N4, because the tenant must pay the full amount owing.

Once an L1 is filed, use the LTB's mandatory Payment Agreement Form and ask for a consent order. The LTB can then cancel the hearing. A consent order cannot end the tenancy. If the tenant agreed to it, though, the order can let you file an L4 to evict without a hearing if they miss a payment. Either side can also ask to reopen the application. Make the request within 30 days of the missed or late payment.

What landlords must not do

No lock-outs. You cannot change the locks without giving the tenant keys, or take back the unit without an LTB order.
No cutting services. You cannot withhold heat, water, electricity or other vital services you are required to supply.
No seizing belongings. You cannot keep the tenant's property for unpaid rent. After the Sheriff enforces an eviction, you must keep their belongings available for 72 hours before you dispose of them.
No harassment to pressure the tenant out.

Knowingly doing these is an offence. Fines go up to $100,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation.

Common mistakes

Using the old 14-day rule or an old version of a form.
Adding NSF fees, damage or utilities to the N4.
Forgetting the 5 extra days when mailing.
Filing the L1 on the termination date instead of the day after.
Not keeping a Certificate of Service or rent receipts.

Frequently asked questions

How many days notice is an N4 in Ontario?

For an N4 given on or after September 21, 2026, the termination date must be at least 7 days after you give it to the tenant. Do not count the day you give it, and add 5 days if you mail it or 1 business day if you send it by courier. N4s given before that date needed 14 days for monthly or yearly tenancies.

Can a tenant cancel an N4 by paying?

Yes. If the tenant pays all the rent owing in the N4, plus any rent that has come due since, before you file your L1, the notice is void. After you file, the tenant can still stop the eviction by paying the arrears, new rent and your filing fee before the order is issued, or by paying the amount in the order before it becomes enforceable.

When can I file an L1 application?

The earliest is the day after the termination date on the N4, and the tenant must still live in the unit. File Form L1 with a copy of the N4 and the Certificate of Service. The fee is $186 through the Tribunals Ontario Portal or $201 by other methods.

Can I change the locks if my tenant does not pay rent?

No. Only the Court Enforcement Office (Sheriff) can enforce an LTB eviction order. Changing the locks without giving the tenant keys, cutting off vital services or seizing belongings are offences under the Residential Tenancies Act, with fines of up to $100,000 for an individual.

Can I include NSF fees or damage in an N4?

No. The N4 is for rent only. You can claim NSF bank charges, plus an administration charge of up to $20 per cheque, in the L1 application. Damage is dealt with through a separate LTB application.

Related tools and guides

Official sources

Last checked: 2026-11-01.